Odisha governmnet to bear additional cost for Homi Bhabha Cancer hospital at Jatni

BHUBANESWAR: The state administration is due to bear the further cost required for construction of the proposed Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Jatni in Khurda district as the project's capacity has been enhanced from the originally planned 200 beds to 385 beds.

Key points

• The policy decision was taken by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday.
• Once operational, the Jatni facility is projected to cater not only to patients from Odisha but additionally to cancer patients from throughout eastern India.
• The proposed centre is projected to significantly strengthen Odisha's cancer-care infrastructure and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the state for specialised treatment.
• The project's estimated cost has rose after the enhancement of bed capacity and the requirement for extra infrastructure and equipment.
• The extra funds will primarily backing the rose bed capacity and other infrastructure and equipment needed for the expanded facility.

Notably, the policy decision was taken by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday. The state administration will provide funds from its own budget to meet the further financial requirement arising from the expansion of the hospital and associated infrastructure.

Notably, the cancer hospital is being established under the Department of Atomic Energy of the central administration, on the lines of the Tata Memorial Centre, one of the country's leading cancer treatment and research institutions.

Meanwhile, the project's estimated cost has rose after the enhancement of bed capacity and the requirement for extra infrastructure and equipment. Tata Steel Foundation is additionally providing financial backing for the project. Nevertheless, the state administration will meet any further funding requirement, according to the decision of the administration.

In practice, the extra funds will primarily backing the rose bed capacity and other infrastructure and equipment needed for the expanded facility.

Notably, the proposed centre is projected to significantly strengthen Odisha's cancer-care infrastructure and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the state for specialised treatment. A number of patients from the state at present travel to Mumbai for treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital.

Taken together, the developments around odisha governmnet to bear additional cost for Homi Bhabha Cancer hospital at point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.